The wind roared beneath Aeralion's wings.
High above the clouds, the great griffin carried Kael and Dwaho across the skies of Aetherion. Below them stretched a world far bigger than Kael had imagined.
Mountains pierced the clouds like giant stone spears.
Rivers of silver water twisted through green valleys.
And forests spread across the land like endless oceans of trees.
Kael leaned forward slightly, gripping Aeralion's feathers.
"This world is huge."
Dwaho nodded from behind him.
"You've only seen a tiny part of it."
He pointed toward a distant green land glowing under sunlight.
"That's Valedorn."
"The Kingdom of the Golden Forest."
As they flew closer, Kael noticed something strange.
The trees of Valedorn were enormous.
Each one looked older than entire cities. Their trunks were wide as towers, and their leaves shimmered gold under the sunlight.
"It looks peaceful," Kael said.
Dwaho shook his head.
"It used to be."
Aeralion's voice echoed in their minds.
"Something has changed here."
The griffin slowly descended toward a large clearing in the forest.
But the moment his claws touched the ground—
The forest went silent.
No birds.
No wind.
Nothing.
Kael looked around.
"Why is it so quiet?"
Dwaho pulled a short sword from his belt.
"Because forests only go quiet when something dangerous is nearby."
The trees creaked softly.
Their branches moved even though there was no wind.
Shadows stretched unnaturally across the ground.
Kael felt a cold shiver run through his spine.
"Aeralion…?"
The great griffin turned his eagle head slowly.
"These are not natural shadows."
Suddenly—
The ground beneath the trees began moving.
Dark shapes crawled out from between the roots.
They looked like creatures made entirely of shadow.
Long arms.
Sharp claws.
Glowing red eyes.
Kael stepped back.
"What ARE those things?!"
Dwaho's voice became tense.
"Void creatures."
"They're servants of the Dark Emperor."
More shadows rose from the forest floor.
Ten.
Then twenty.
Then dozens.
They surrounded the clearing.
Aeralion spread his wings powerfully.
"They are corrupting the forest."
One of the shadow creatures screeched and leaped forward.
Dwaho slashed it with his sword.
The blade cut through the creature, causing it to explode into black smoke.
But more were coming.
"Too many!" Dwaho shouted.
Kael's chest suddenly began glowing again.
The seven-star mark appeared faintly through his shirt.
The shadow creatures hesitated.
They seemed afraid.
But then a deeper voice echoed through the forest.
Cold.
Ancient.
"You cannot hide from us, Gatewalker."
The shadows parted.
And a tall dark figure stepped forward.
Unlike the others, this creature had a solid body.
Black armor.
A long curved blade made of darkness.
Dwaho's eyes widened.
"That's not a normal Void creature."
The figure slowly removed its hood.
Its eyes burned with red fire.
"I am Varkor, Hunter of the Void."
Kael whispered to Dwaho.
"Please tell me we're stronger than him."
Dwaho tightened his grip on his sword.
"No."
Varkor lifted his blade.
"But we're faster."
The shadow army rushed forward.
Aeralion roared.
His wings slammed the ground, blasting several creatures away.
Dwaho charged into the shadows, moving quickly between them.
Kael backed away as the star mark on his chest glowed brighter.
The air around him began humming with strange power.
Varkor stepped closer.
"You cannot escape the Emperor."
He raised his dark blade.
"The Gatewalker dies tonight."
But suddenly—
The forest itself moved.
Golden roots burst from the ground.
Branches twisted like giant arms.
The trees of Valedorn had awakened.
A deep voice echoed from the forest.
"ENOUGH."
All the shadow creatures froze.
Even Varkor stopped moving.
From the center of the forest, something enormous approached.
Something ancient.
Something powerful.
Kael stared into the trees.
"What… is that?"
Aeralion's eyes widened slightly.
"Impossible."
"An Ancient Guardian."
A massive figure stepped out from the golden trees.
It was a giant made of living wood and glowing vines.
Its eyes shone like green fire.
The Guardian looked at Kael.
Then at the shadows.
"The forest remembers the prophecy."
The ground shook beneath its footsteps.
"And the Gatewalker will not fall here."
Varkor slowly stepped backward into the shadows.
"This is not finished."
The darkness around him twisted and swallowed him and the remaining creatures.
They vanished into the forest.
Silence returned.
The giant guardian turned toward Kael.
"You carry the light of the Seven Thrones."
Kael stared up at the towering creature.
"Yeah… I'm still figuring that part out."
The guardian knelt slightly.
"Then your journey has truly begun."
Behind Kael, Dwaho wiped shadow dust from his sword.
"Next time," he said,
"let's go somewhere less haunted."
Aeralion looked toward the deeper forest.
"No."
His wings folded slowly.
"Because deeper inside Valedorn…"
"Something even older is waiting for us."